<h2>Name</h2>
<p>
The Surah takes its name from the word <em>dukhan</em> which occurs in verse 10.
</p>
<h2>Period of Revelation</h2>
<p>
Its period of revelation also could not be determined from any
authentic tradition, but the internal evidence of the subject matter
shows that this Surah too was sent down in the same period in which
Surah Zukhruf and a few other earlier Surahs had been revealed. However,
this Surah was sent down somewhat later. Its historical background is
this: When the disbelievers of Makkah became more and more
antagonistic in their attitude and conduct, the Holy Prophet prayed: O
God, help me with a famine like the famine of Joseph. He thought that
when the people would be afflicted with a calamity, they would
remember God, their hearts would soften and they would accept the
admonition. Allah granted his prayer, and the whole land was overtaken
by such a terrible famine that the people were sorely distressed. At
last, some of the Quraish chiefs among whom Hadrat Abdullah bin Masud has
particularly mentioned the name of Abu Sufyan came to the Holy Prophet
and requested him to pray to Allah to deliver his people from the
calamity. On this occasion Allah sent down this Surah.
</p>
<h2>Subject Matter and Topics</h2>
<p>
The introduction to the address revealed on this occasion for the
admonition and warning of the people of Makkah contained some
important points, which are as follows:
</p>
<OL>
<p>
<LI> "You, O People of Makkah,
are wrong in thinking that the Quran is being composed by Muhammad
(upon whom be Allah's peace). This Book by itself bears the clear
testimony that it is not the composition of a man but of Allah, Lord
of the worlds." 
</p>
<p>
<LI> "You are making a wrong estimate of the worth of
this Book. You think it is a calamity that has descended on you,
whereas the Hour when Allah, out of sheer mercy, decided to send His
Messenger and His Book to you was highly blessed." 
</p>
<p>
<LI> "You are
foolishly involved in the misunderstanding that you will fight this
Messenger and this Book and will win, whereas the fact is that the
Messenger has been raised and the Book sent down in that particular
Hour when Allah decides the destinies, and Allah's decisions are not
so weak that they may be changed to a person's liking, nor are they
based on ignorance and folly that there may be the likelihood of a
mistake or error or weakness in them. They are rather the firm and
unalterable decisions of the Ruler of the Universe, Who is All Hearing,
All Knowing and All Wise. Therefore, they cannot be treated lightly.
</p>
<p>
<LI> "You yourselves acknowledge that Allah alone is the Master and
Lord of the earth and heavens and of everything in the Universe and
also admit that life and death are only in His power, yet you insist
on making others your deities, for which the only argument you offer
is that that had been the practice since the time of your forefathers,
whereas if a person has the conviction that Allah alone is the Master,
Sustainer and Giver of life and death, he can never entertain the
doubt that there can be other gods also beside Him, who can be worthy
of worship. If your forefathers had committed this folly, there is no
reason why you also should continue committing it blindly. As a matter
of fact, their Lord too was only One God, Who is your Lord, and they
also should have worshiped only Him, Whom you should worship." 
</p>
<p>
<LI> "The only demand of Allah's Providence and Mercifulness is not this
that He should feed you, but also this that He should arrange guidance
for you. For this very guidance He has sent His Messenger and His
Book." 
</p>
</OL>
<p>
After this introduction, the question of the famine that was
raging in Makkah has been discussed. As already mentioned, this famine
had occurred on the Holy Prophet's prayer, and he had prayed for it so
that when the calamity befell it would break the stubbornness of the
disbelievers and then they would listen to the rebuke. It looked as if
this expectation was being fulfilled to some extent, for some of the
most stubborn enemies of the Truth, on account of the severities of the
famine, had cried out: "O Lord, avert this torment from us and we will
believe." At this, on the one hand, the Holy Prophet has been foretold
:"These people will not learn any lesson from such calamities. When
they have turned away from the Messenger, whose life, character, works
and speech clearly show that he is Allah's true Messenger, how will a
mere famine help remove their disbelief?" On the other, the
unbelievers have been addressed, so as to say : "You lie when you say
that you will believe as soon as the torment is removed from you. We
shall just remove it to see how sincere you are in your promise. There
is a graver disaster about to fall upon you. You need a much more
crushing blow :minor misfortunes cannot set you right." 
</p>
<p>
In this very
connection, a reference has been made a little below to Pharaoh and
his people, implying that those people also had met with precisely the
same trial as the chiefs of the disbelieving Quraish are now afflicted.
To them also a similar noble and honorable Messenger had come; they
also had seen those express pointers and signs which clearly showed
that he had been appointed by Allah; they also had gone on witnessing
one sign after the other but they did not give up their stubbornness,
till at last they made up their mind to put an end to the Messenger's
life, and they met their doom, which has since become an object lesson
for the people for ever. 
</p>
<p>
After this the theme of the Hereafter has
been taken up, which the disbelievers of Makkah vehemently denied.
They said: "We have never seen anyone rising back to life after death.
Raise our forefathers back to life if you are true in your claim about
the life hereafter." In response to this, two arguments for the
Hereafter have been presented briefly (1) That the denial of this
creed has always proved destructive for the morals; and (2) that the
universe is not a plaything of a thoughtless diety, but it is a wise
system and no work of wisdom is ever vain or useless. Then the
disbelievers demand to bring their forefathers back to life has been
answered, thus : "This cannot be done every day to meet the demand of
the individuals, but Allah has appointed a time when He will resurrect
all mankind simultaneously and will subject them to accountability in
His Court. If one has to protect oneself there, one should think about
it here. For no one will be able to save himself there by his own
power, nor by the power of any one else." 
</p>
<p>
In connection with this
Court of Allah, mention has been made of the fate of those who will be
declared as culprits and of the rewards of those who will be declared
as successful. The discourse has been concluded with this warning:
"This Quran has been revealed in simple language in your own tongue so
that you may understand it; yet if you do not understand it and insist
on seeing your evil end, you may wait; Our Prophet too is waiting.
Whatever is to happen, will happen at its own appointed time."
</p>

